I spun around with my heart in my throat and found them standing there on the wooden deck beside the pool, both dressed in their standard all black outfits. Though their combat boots looked a smidge less filthy than normal, like perhaps they’d cleaned them up before coming here.
I licked my lips and pulled my wet hair over my chest – for reasons I really couldn’t be sure of, I simply felt compelled to. “T-Tennessee…Tegan…h-h-hi…um…”
Tenn stood there with his arms crossed over his chest looking more menacing than I’d ever seen him. Or maybe I’d been away from him for too long. The golden bands that connected Michael’s sword to him somehow shined through his long-sleeved black shirt as if there were no material covering it at all, which didn’t help alleviate the intimidation factor. Nor did that eerie twinkle in his mismatched eyes. Seriously, I didn’t understand how my sister was so attracted to him. He was terrifying.
Tenn arched one eyebrow at me, and I had to look away before he sensed the disturbance in the force and knew I was freaking the hell out about him being here.
But the second I looked to my sister, I regretted it. She had her elbow perched on Tenn’s shoulder and was casually leaning against him with one foot crossed over the other. She was grinning like the damn Cheshire cat and wagging her eyebrows at me.
I would never live this moment down.
Deacon cleared his throat and pushed his hair back. “Uh, hey. Welcome to New York?”
Chapter Twenty-Two
Deacom
I’d never been more thankful to have Tennessee show up.
Not that I wasn’t enjoying myself in the pool with Emersyn…but I’d promised myself I’d be a good guy and behave. Emersyn wasn’t like any of those promiscuous girls I’d…dabbled with…in my past. She was a nice girl and I cherished that about her. We both wanted to take our relationship slow to make sure we didn’t screw it up. I genuinely wanted to be a better guy for her than I had been in years past. She was worth it. And therefore, I would wait until she was ready – like actually ready.
But that didn’t mean it was easy.
Saved by the terrifying non-human bell.
I cleared my throat and pushed my hair back. “Uh, hey. Welcome to New York?”
Tenn smirked and it was entirely dangerous. “Do I get the same welcome she got?”
Emersyn groaned and her face turned bright red before she could bury it in her hands.
“I’d say yes, but your girl is rather territorial…” I grinned and looked to Tegan. “And scary as hell.”
Tegan pressed her palm to her chest. “Thank you. That’s so sweet of you to say.”
I rolled my eyes.
“And you can kiss him but only if you promise to make Royce jealous about it.”
“Please don’t.” Tenn grimaced and glanced over to his soulmate with a smirk. “What is wrong with you?”
She grinned. “So many things, but we don’t have time for that talk today.”
“But I’d very much like a raincheck for it.” I laughed and made my way to the steps, then climbed out of the pool. The air in here was warm but it still gave me goosebumps when it hit me.
Emersyn cursed right behind me. “Please tell me y’all have towels down here?”
Tenn cocked his head to the side and his eyes flashed…and then every drop of water on my body vanished in an instant. My eyes widened. I glanced over to Em and found her completely dry, even her hair. I ran my hand through my own strands and found them dryer than a desert.
I looked back over to Tenn. “Why is that kinda creepy?”
Tegan wiggled her fingers in front of her and then thick, white fuzzy robes were wrapped tightly around us.
“Okay, I know why that’s creepy.” I grinned and shook my head. “But thanks for the assist.”
They both just nodded.
Emersyn narrowed her eyes. “Do either of you do anything without magic anymore?”
“Why would I?” They both said at the exact same time.
“Gotta admit, though...I like their magic.” I pulled the robe around me tighter. “It comes in handy.”
Em rolled her golden eyes but she was smiling. “Don’t encourage them.”
“I’m the Devil, it’s kind of my job...”
Em huffed and playfully smacked my arm. She refocused on her twin. “So, how’d you find us in here anyway?”
“Magic,” they said at the same time again.
They high-fived over their heads.
Em turned to me while pointing at them. “You see? They don’t need temptation.”
I shook my head. “Did Stedman greet you in the lobby?”
Tenn nodded. “Yeah, excellent job describing him, by the way. Spot on.”
“He stole our stuff. I assume you know where he stashed it?” Tegan arched one eyebrow. “Because that dude was not answering my questions.”
I sighed. “He’s been nervous for your arrival. He wants to make sure you’re happy. But yes, I know where he put your stuff. As a matter of fact, why don’t I give you a little tour of the place?”
“That’d be ideal, otherwise she’ll snoop on her own.”
“Babe,” Tegan hissed. “Don’t ruin my fun.”
“Snoop on, my friend.” I chuckled then headed for the door. “Come on, tour time.”
I pushed the glass door open, then held it wide for them to exit after me. Tenn gave me a quick, sharp nod as he passed and Tegan gave me a nerve-wracking wink. Emersyn slid by last and her cheeks were flushed bright pink as she peeked up at me under dark eyelashes.
She hurried to walk beside her twin. “So, are y’all hungry or anything?”
“We had dinner a little bit ago, but I’ve got some serious munchies.”
Tenn nodded and rubbed his stomach. “Is there a convenient store nearby where we could grab something to snack on?”
“There are, but I also stocked the kitchen with stuff y’all like.”
I smiled. She was really quite adorable, always making sure to take care of other people – like a true Empress card. “It’s true, but we’re also not opposed to taking you out to a restaurant if you’d like to do that. Up to you.”
Tegan glanced over her shoulder at me and pursed her lips. “Good question.”
“I don’t know, babe…” Tenn shrugged. “We haven’t had a moment to relax. I think I’d prefer to snack on whatever Em got for us while we sit and listen to them tell us about the school.”
Tegan turned to him and grinned. “That sounds great — oh look! Mistletoe!” She stopped right on the corner that led toward the bedrooms and pointed to the ceiling where a mistletoe was hanging.
I frowned. When did that get there?
“Oh, well…”
Tegan grabbed that key hanging from Tenn’s necklace and pulled his mouth down to hers. He wrapped one arm around her waist then reached up and fisted her hair. His other hand slid over her hips before landing on and squeezing her ass. She wrapped her arms around his neck and yanked him closer. He went with her, bending her body backwards.
Well, this isn’t awkward.
I glanced over at Emersyn and found her face bright red and her eyes avoiding me.
Yep. Not helping, you two.
I cleared my throat three times before it got through to them. “Riiiiiiiiight. On that note, let me show you to your room.”
Chapter Twenty-Three
Caroline
I staggered back a few feet then bent over and rested my hands on my knees. My chest was tight and squeezing my lungs. Each breath burned like acid down my throat. Sweat was dripping everywhere. My hands were red and throbbing from holding this heavy sword.
Marcy coughed, and when I looked up, she was wiping sweat off of her forehead with the back of her forearm. Her chest was rising and falling as fast as mine was, and she was a shifter. Literally a mountain lion. She was used to running for Goddess’ sake.
Turned out no one was in shape for sparring.
Stupid combat training c
lass.
If I hadn’t been there during the Gala when those demons attacked, hadn’t personally almost died from one of them…I never ever would have voluntarily signed up for this bullshit. But I had and so here I was…dying in class so I wouldn’t die like my friends Liam and Scarlet.
“Remind me again,” Marcy said with another cough. “Why we’re using these long swords and not those short daggers hanging on the wall?”
I glanced over to the wall in question, to where all the training weapons were hung nice and pretty. The weapons themselves were legit, metal and all that jazz, but they’d put special spells on them for training. Basically, so we couldn’t kill each other for real. But other than that, they were the real thing.
“Because…Mama…didn’t raise…no bitch,” I forced out between gasps for air. Then I pointed to the small group of younger girls a few feet over. “And because…they are watching us. I refuse to use the girl sword. I want them to see we’re not afraid of a big weapon. If Noah can swing this damn thing around, then so can we.”
Marcy grimaced and rolled her shoulders. “Theoretically, right?”
I nodded. “A for effort, right?”
She got back into fighting stance and raised her sword up. The blade had bright neon orange magic coiling around it that shocked the shit out of you if it touched you. I had burn marks all over my arms and legs to prove it, even scorched through my clothes. But Marcy didn’t have a single scratch on her.
“Why the hell don’t you have battle scars?” I stood and used my sword to point at her body, then glanced down at my own. “I know I’ve hit you.”
She shrugged and tightened her grip. “Shifters heal quickly, and we have tougher skin — literally.”
“Cheater.”
“Hey, I can make myself not shift for this, but I can’t change my biological makeup.”
I sucked in a deep breath then charged for her just like we’d been taught. She braced herself, also like we’d been taught, with her sword at the ready and standing on the balls of her feet. I pushed off the ground and swung my sword down — and slammed into her blade. The orange magic hissed and sparked. Sharp energy shot into my hand and vibrated up my arms.
“Don’t throw logic at me right now,” I groaned, then spun in a tight circle and slammed the side of my blade into her hip.
She cursed and dropped to one knee as smoke billowed from her jeans. “Spin moves?!”
I wobbled and staggered back. “Trust me, I’m as surprised by that as you are.”
“OH SHIT, NOAH!” Christian shouted.
Something large flew over our heads. I gasped and turned — oh my Goddess. It was Noah. I started toward him – like I thought I’d be able to catch him or something – when a massive brown, furry animal rushed past me. My jaw dropped. A freaking grizzly bear. It sprinted across the room, then jumped in the air – and caught Noah. It wrapped its bear paws around him and pulled him into his furry chest before crashing to the ground, taking the brunt of the fall.
Noah screamed and cursed. He scrambled to get off the bear so fast he actually somersaulted across the mat. Half of the class jumped back several feet, and I knew the students who hadn’t moved were shifters and not at all afraid.
There was a flash of light and then the bear shifted…into Christian.
My jaw dropped.
“WHAT?” Noah punched the mat. “Are you effing kidding me? A damn BEAR?”
Christian shrugged and jumped to his feet. He rubbed the back of his neck. “Sorry about the toss, sometimes I forget how strong I am.”
“A BEAR?” Noah spun around, scanning the ground. “Where’s my sword? Where is it? I need a new rug.”
Christian laughed – until Noah plucked his sword up off the ground and charged after him screaming like a banshee. Christian’s eyes widened. He cursed then spun and sprinted to the other side of the massive training room with Noah hot on his heels.
I sighed and shook my head as the rest of the class resumed sparring. “Yep. That’s my boyfriend.”
Marcy chuckled but her light brown eyes were still watching Christian. “I was thinking about making Christian mine…”
“So do it.” I grinned and followed her gaze to where the two new besties were sparring at the opposite corner of the room. “Why not?”
She grimaced then dove at me, slicing her sword down by my knees. “I think he might be a little hung up on Emersyn still.”
“Oh.” I tried to block her but slipped and it scorched a path across the back of my leg. Electricity shot up my body. I cursed and hobbled away. “Well…Emersyn has a soulmate. That shit is locked down.”
The entire backside of my leg felt like it was on fire as I tried to walk it off. My two blue fluffy cats looked up from the pile they were in and watched me. My whole body was screaming and aching, but I had to keep going. Had to look strong and tough.
A water bottle came into my line of view, I took it and looked up to her. “Thanks.”
She nodded, her gaze still locked on Christian. “Right, but does he know that?”
I took a sip then tapped her arm with the bottle. “Only one way to find out, right?”
“Right.” She narrowed her eyes on his back. “Right? Right. Yes. Imma find out.”
While she was lost in her thoughts over a boy – a struggle I knew all too well – I drank more water and glanced around the room. Combat training was in full swing, and everyone was looking beat the hell up. There was no magic or shifting allowed in class. This was pure physical combat. All around the class, my peers were hissing at the pain of the magic on the weapons.
The classroom doors on the left opened and Deacon strolled through. It was such a sweet relief to not feel anything at the sight of him anymore. It used to be so conflicting and confusing but now it was clear and comfortable. We were friends, just the way we should be. Even if I was still proving that to Emer — whoa, what’s that?
The hairs on my arms stood tall.
The orange magic on the weapons glowed brighter and sharper, the magic extending farther away from the blades.
Marcy looked down at her body with wide eyes. “What…what is happening?” She whispered.
I don’t know. What is that?
Deacon turned back toward the door and shoved his hands in his pockets, looking completely at ease with whatever this wild energy was.
And then they walked in.
Tennessee Wildes and Tegan Bishop.
The Emperor and High Priestess of The Coven.
I gasped and stood straighter. They looked exactly like I remembered: dressed in all black, beat up combat boots, leather jackets, long black hair, and auras bright enough to blind anyone brave enough to look at them. They walked toward Deacon and a cold chill slithered down my spine. Deacon said something to them, then led them through the room with Tennessee right beside him.
Tegan’s pale green eyes sparkled like the neon signs in Times Square as she glanced around the class. Zeus suddenly landed on my shoulder and hissed like he was somehow terrifying. Gus-Gus leapt out right in front of me, like his chubby little self was going to protect me. Tegan looked at them and grinned, then she met my stare and winked.
I wasn’t sure what to make of that.
“Heads up!” Someone shouted.
I looked toward the sound just as a katana sword shot across the room, shimmering with bright orange magic on the blade.
Tennessee took a step forward – and then was suddenly twenty feet across the room from where he’d just been. He reached out and grabbed the sword by the blade. Without flinching, hissing, groaning, cursing, or any single verbal sign of pain or discomfort. Everyone else had scars from these weapons grazing us, yet there he stood holding onto the magical blade like it was a damn number two pencil.
Noah’s jaw was practically unhinged it hung so far open. He smacked Christian’s arm over and over without taking his eyes off Tennessee.
Tennessee held the katana out in front of him and let the tip of t
he blade rest in his other hand – so that now he was touching it with both hands. Bare skin to magical blade. The orange magic slithered up his hands and coiled around his wrists and forearms. Green and blue magic swirled around it. His mismatched eyes narrowed. “Whose sword?”
One of the boys, maybe nine years old, came running up to him with a pale face. “It’s m-m-m-mine, s-s-s-sir. S-s-s-s-orr-rr-y-y.”
“It’s all right,” Tennessee said softly and held the sword out to him, still holding on to the blade.
The boy gripped the hilt with one hand, but when Tennessee let go, the blade crashed to the ground. The boy’s face turned red and his hands began to shake. “Sorry, it’s…it’s too big for me.”
Tennessee crouched down in front of him, then took the boy’s hands and fixed his grip on the sword. “Hold it like this — will help you keep control of it. And it’s always a good idea to train with heavier weapons so that in the real scenario, your weapon will feel light.”
The boy’s face lit up. He beamed up at him. “Thank you, Emperor.”
Tennessee nodded. “And don’t pay attention to your peers and their fancy moves, just focus on the basics for now. You will advance at the level that works for you. Now go ahead, go back and work.”
The boy smiled and ran off.
Tegan pursed her lips and looked around some more. “Soooo…are we sparring here today?”
Deacon nodded and leaned back on his heels. “Yup. It’s actually our most popular course here.”
Tegan giggled and the sound was so unsettling it made me want to back up against a wall and blend in so she wouldn’t see me. She dissolved into a cloud of bubbles then reappeared over at the wall of training weapons. She plucked a long sword off the wall, then chucked it right at Tennessee’s face.
He caught it without any effort whatsoever and raised one eyebrow at her. She grinned and pulled two daggers off the wall, then crossed them in an x in front of her. Tennessee flipped the sword in the air and caught the hilt in his hand.
Deacon grinned and shook his head. Red mist slithered across the classroom floor then washed over my feet and I had the sudden urge to back up., I backed several feet away before my brain caught up. This was Deacon’s magic of persuasion warning us to get out of the way…and it was somehow both exciting and terrifying at the same time.
The Uptown Witch Page 13